Women's
Health and Economic Development Association (WHEDA-Nigeria) of Nigeria
is a voluntary membership, non-governmental organisation
registered in Nigeria under Part C (Incorporated Trustees) of
the Companies and Allied Matters Act. Its headquarters is at Uyo,
Akwa Ibom State in south-eastern Nigeria.
Background:
The founding of WHEDA-Nigeria was essentially necessitated by the need
to fashion an appropriate response to the challenge of
mainstreaming women's issues in the south-eastern part of
Nigeria where socio-cultural and economic constraints to the
welfare and self-actualization of womenfolk have historically
been acute. WHEDA-Nigeria emerged in 1988 out of consultations involving
community-based women groups in that part of the country. The
consultations, which were initiated by Chief (Mrs) Fidela Etim
Ebuk, a professional nurse and midwife with bias for social
work, focused on how to deepen and consolidate the community
development efforts of participating groups for enhanced
effectiveness. Chief Ebuk was to later emerge as WHEDA-Nigeria's
National Coordinator. The organisation has over the past decade
developed as a group-membership NGO seeking to develop the
culture of collective and participatory decision making as a way
of nurturing leadership roles amongst womenfolk in a
male-dominated society.
Focus:
WHEDA-Nigeria was founded on the principal of improving the economic and
health status of the less privileged, especially women and
children. WHEDA-Nigeria believes that economic and health issues are
often inextricably interwoven and that an integrated approach to
addressing these issues is likely to deliver enduring results.
With particular reference to women, WHEDA-Nigeria shares the growing
awareness that a nation's growth and development would be
incomplete without the active mobilization and empowerment of
women to take their destinies in their hands, particularly in
decisions that affect their health and livelihood. WHEDA-Nigeria equally
believes that the realization of an individualís economic
potentials is directly related to health status.
Vision:
The WHEDA-Nigeria's vision is to integrate gender perspectives into all
policies, plans and activities directed towards development,
especially in the rural areas.
Mission:
The mission of WHEDA-Nigeria is to sensitize women to the necessity of
becoming relevant participants in the developmental processes of
their communities. WHEDA-Nigeria does this by promoting social
awareness, optimizing economic potentials and nurturing
decision-making skills in women through a community-based
approach to propagating life changing projects and processes.
Objectives:
(i) To provide a common forum for exchange of information, ideas
and insights on health, economic and other issues of general
interest to women in rural communities.
To improve the economic status of women through the
establishment of viable farm businesses, community projects and
cottage industries.
To form women farmers, food processors, traders and artisans
into cooperative societies to enable them access credit and
other forms of business finance.
To disseminate information on issues related to women health and
child survival, including safe motherhood, immunization, Oral
Rehydration Therapy (ORT), HIV/AIDS, nutrition and environmental
sanitation.
To encourage responsible adolescence through the establishment
of youth centers, workfare programmes and the promotion of
counselling on issues such as drug abuse, gang formation,
cultism, etc.
To conduct training programmes on reproductive health,
nutrition, malnutrition, leadership skills, income generation,
maternal and child health and to train traditional birth
attendants towards preventing and reducing maternal and child
mortality rate.
To educate and enlighten women on the effects of traditional
taboos on their health status.
To establish food and nutrition rehabilitation centers with a
view to checking the high incidence of malnutrition in rural
communities.
To mobilize credit and grant loans to member groups towards
encouraging the sustenance and growth of their income-generating
enterprises.
To undertake environmental conservation activities, including
advocacy, as a way of curbing health hazards.
Membership:
The membership of WHEDA-Nigeria is predominantly made up of women who
are members of the organisation through the primary groups to
which they belong such as guilds, associations and clubs. There
is no provision yet for individual members although membership
is open to youth clubs and men's groups who subscribe to the
organisationís ideals. WHEDA-Nigeria is rural-based and women oriented.
Staff Strength:
staff members. 6 permanent, 2 volunteers. Gender (6 males and 2
females).
Board Members:
12 in number. Gender - 11 females and 1 male Spiritual leader.
Affiliation:
WHEDA-Nigeria is affiliated to several umbrella bodies both within and
outside Nigeria. These include the following organisations:
Sustainable
Development Network Limited Schwab
Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship Ashoka International
Network of Street Papers (INSP)
"We
The Peoples"
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